Thursday, January 5, 2012

My Winter Reading List for 2012

If we had a fireplace, I don't think I'd get much of anything done in the winter months. Nothing sounds cozier that curling up in a comfy chair and diving into a new book. I haven't had much time to read lately, but I thought I'd put together a Winter Reading List to work on...fireplace or not.

1. Tsh Oxenreider's Organized Simplicity
My mother-in-law gave it to me for Christmas (after possibly witnessing my disaster of a home once too many times). I'm really excited to go through it, as getting areas of our home organized is one of my goals for 2012.

2. Janet Evanovich's Two for the Dough
After seeing the preview for the first Stephanie Plum movie (with Katherine Heigl-- love!), I read the first book in the series, One for the Money. Although Stephanie's wardrobe descriptions really date the book, I just changed her outfits in my head and really loved the story. Hoping this second book is as good as the first.

3. Nikon for Dummies
Yeah, I know this was on last year's list. I just never got around to going through it. But I really want to get the most out of using my camera, so it's time to start reading!

4.Liz Curtis Higgs' Mine is the Night
This was also on a previous reading list, but I only just received it for Christmas, so there! This is a sequel to another novel, both set in 18th Century Scotland. I love historical fiction.

5. Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The previews for the movie looked odd...hard to tell what the plot is about. But so many people are talking about this book, I feel like I need to give it a try. I enjoy some suspense from time to time.

That's all I can think of for now. I'll probably start with the Higgs novel since I have it, and then work on the Organizing since I am obsessed with that theme right now.

21 comments:

Amanda, if you liked Da Vinci Code you'd probably like Girl with the Dragon Tatoo. Be warned: there is explicit stuff in there about rape and such. It had a lot of violence. I just finished Water for Elephants - it was quirky and moving and I really liked it.

I didn't know that the new Liz Curtis Higgs book was out! I'm so excited. i loved "Here Burns My Candle." Have you read the Outlander series? If you like the 18th century Scotland thing, then you'd love Outlander.

I agree with with Rustown Mom about the Girl with the Dragon tattoo. I thought it was an excellent book overall but it was emotionally draining for me. I haven't yet read the rest of the series (it's been over a year since I read this one) just because it was a little much for me.

Oooh, ooh, ooh, I love a good reading list! I didn't realize the Dummies series has a Nikon book - I need to check that out.

Just be warned that the Dragon Tattoo series is A)addictive, but B)intense. There were a couple of scenes I could have done without, but it's really good. Second book was my favorite. The movie was very well done. Check it out after you read the book.

The Stephanie Plum books are good - funny, rather predictable, but good. I think the 5th-6th ones were my favorites. After about 11 they start to get pretty predictable but I still read them all! I'm hoping the movies do them justice! She wrote the series with Sandra Bullock in mind and apparently a company bought the rights but then they never made the movies then they needed someone younger.

I have written a ton about books if you want to check it out on my blog: http://theboatwrightfamily.blogspot.com/search/label/Books

i wish i was told this when i started to read the dragon tattoo-you must keep going. apparently for the first 50 or so pages, it's really hard to get into. i watched the swedish movie, which was fabulous, and i tried to read it again. i STILL couldn't get into it.

i just read mindy kaling's book, which was funny...but not as funny as tina fey's.

On my train to work I've go my go-to-always-funny Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster then my evening read is The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life by Laurie Notaro I like to laugh regardless of the time of day :)

I really enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series and movies. (I also enjoyed the Swedish version with subtitles on Netflix.) But, be warned, they are pretty graphic and a bit disturbing at parts.

I think that organizing book looks great. I'm all about organizing. I don't do it. But, I'd like to. ;)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Stephanie Plum books. I just finished 18. :) I have my reservations about the movie, though - movies never do the books justice. Plus, I feel like I've *known* these characters for so many years, that I'm afraid they'll be totally different on screen. But the books really are laugh-out-loud funny. Like, inappropriate in airports, snorting, maybe-a-few-tears-come-out kind of laughing.

I saw a new Tom Clancy novel in Sam's Club the other day--and I DIDN'T buy it, because I need to get some work done around here! I'd rather sit and read than just about anything else in the world. Your list looks good!

Preston read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Apparently it's a bit racy--Preston said it was really good and that he wants to see the movie, but he doesn't want to see the movie with me. There are some things a guy just doesn't want to see in the same room as his mom! :)

Hi Amanda! Michaela at Michaela Noelle Designs recommended your blog to me and said that you had a great weekly link party so I came to check it out and I LOVE your blog! We seem to have a lot in common and I'm pretty sure that we share all of the same goals for 2012 :). Anyway, just wanted to say hi and great blog!

Amanda - great list! I'm glad I stopped by. I usually only read when I'm flying and until the last year that was quite a bit. That's where I found the tme to read the Stephanie Plum series. I would LOL. People I'm sure thought I was crazy. I'm up to book 14! One of my 2012 goals, like you, is to read more.-renee`

We have a working fire place with a fire burning pretty much 24/7 and I still don't get around to reading as much as I would like :(However I agree with you it is bliss once you get round to it.

I'm also very excited about the Janet Evanovich movie and from experience I know I always like the books more so I'm going to have to give this one a read before watching the movie.

I have read all 3 of the Girl with the Dragon tattoo books. I started the first one and put it down for about 8 months cause I just could not get into it but my friend told me to give it a try. Man, am I glad I did, they really were great!

If you enjoy historical fiction I would recommend Ken Follet's Fall of Giants. It's fictional but historically correct and I really enjoyed it. Can't wait for the 2nd book to be published.

The Stephanie Plum series is one of my favorites! Hilarious! I know the first few books are very dated because of the clothing but if you can get past that...you will love them. Sure, they are fluff books but sometimes we need that, right? :) I am about to read book 17. I have read them all. And most of them had me laughing out loud. Like the time I was at the license branch and laughed really loud and everyone looked at me. HA!

This is Me

I'm a stay-at-home mom of three kids, a fluffy Pomeranian, and a rambunctious German Shepherd puppy. Happily married to T. We live in Virginia, but I secretly dream of what it would be like to have a place in NYC to escape to for random girls' shopping weekends. Target is my home away from home. I stay sane by doing creative projects around my home and taking lots of pictures. Stick around for realistic inspiration...on a budget!

Blog Design By:

All the photos and text on this blog are copyright protected. You may share photos from this blog IF linked back to their original posts and for the sole purpose of featuring my work. Please let me know when you have done so. You may not copy entire articles and posts (even if you link back to me) without my express permission. You may email any such request to amandaserenitynow(at) gmail (dot) com. Please do NOT borrow the pictures to sell your own goods. Thank you!